Augrabies Flat Lizard (Platysaurus broadleyi)
Family Cordylidae
Some animals/insects are only found in one small
area and this lizard is one of them.
They occupy a small area around Augrabies Falls
which is situated in the Northern part of SA, near the Namibia border. The male
reaches a length of about 15cm. The female looks very different to the male.
Natal Acraea (Acraea natalica) Female
Family Nymphalidae Heliconiinae
Found in the northern regions as well as the east coast from about East London northwards.
Isn't he just the cutest? (Mantis)
We have many kind of mantis here and this is a baby of the Giant Mantis which gets to be about 5 inches in body length. The tail end eventually straightens out when it gets its first wings. It is a very common species and feeds mainly off caterpillars.
All mantids have large heads and compound eyes.
The female lays her eggs in cocoons like this which is mainly attached to branches. The cocoon
All mantids have large heads and compound eyes.
The female lays her eggs in cocoons like this which is mainly attached to branches. The cocoon
Whitefaced Duck
Easily identified by white face.
Found from Swaziland and central regions and northwards.
Have a distinctive whistling call.
Habitat: All inland waters.
Eat seeds, grain, buds, tubers.
Info: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa
Garden Orb Web Spider (Argiope lobota)
Family Araneidae Argiopinae
I found this spider in Kruger National Park in the beginning of the year. It is the first time it is recorded as see there.
Cape Fox
One of the most wonderful
experiences I have had in a long time was seeing these in the wild for the
first time. What beautiful animals they are!! We were sitting around the camp
fire when this one paid us a visit. Pictures were taken in Kgalagadi by Roberta
as I did not have my camera with me at the time and she kindly sent these to me.
Thanks Roberta. Hope to see you again soon.
These are
Diverse White (Appias epaphia contracta)
Family Pieridae Pierinae
About 4-5cm wingspan.
Found in the eastern regions and as far south as the Eastern Cape.
Info: Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa (Steve Woodhall)
Salt pans - Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Natural salt pans are found in desert or semi-desert
areas and on the way to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, I passed this one.
Pans are found where water has evaporated and the
minerals are left exposed to the sun.
They have developed over thousands of years and
especially when flying over the region, the white gleam stretching for many
miles can be easily seen.
Goliath Heron
Found in the central and northern regions where there is inland water as well as open grasslands.
Solitary when feeding but roosts in colonies.
Eats frogs, insects, rodents, fish and small reptiles.
The nest is a platform of sticks in trees where it lays an average of 2-4 eggs.
Info: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa
Elephant babies are protected
Not only are they shielded by their mothers but by the rest
of the herd too.
The females and other siblings surround them and
make sure they are in the middle of the herd when moving.
These pictures are of elephants in Addo Elephant Park where
the majority are tuskless.
When born, calves are 100% in proportion unlike other
animals which have larger heads and longer legs.
Humbug Ladybird (Micraspis striata)
Family Coccinellidae
Ladybirds/ladybugs are not only found with spots on them but
also plain colours and stripes.
Spotted Sailer (Neptis saclava marpessa)
Family Nymphalidae Limentinae
Medium size: 4-4.5cm wingspan.
Attracted to fermenting plant matter.
Seen the year round.
Info: Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa (Steve Woodhall)
Swainson’s Francolin
A medium sized bird found in the central and northern regions.
Found in all bushveld and cultivated habitats.Food: Berries, insects, snails, seeds. Average clutch of eggs: 12
Found in all bushveld and cultivated habitats.Food: Berries, insects, snails, seeds. Average clutch of eggs: 12
Ant fight
These are not the best photographs I have taken as there was too much moving around.
Once again I have observed that it is always the smaller ants which attack the larger ones and I am wondering why this is as one would think it should be the other way around. I could even understand if was a whole lot of small ants attacking thee, but no, it is always just one??
Once again I have observed that it is always the smaller ants which attack the larger ones and I am wondering why this is as one would think it should be the other way around. I could even understand if was a whole lot of small ants attacking thee, but no, it is always just one??
You are what you eat
...or so I have heard. In the bush there is this wild pumpkin which grows in most places. They are about 4-6 inches in length and the vines often grow up into the trees.
I am not sure if they are edible to humans but the birds seem to love them too and this is usually one indication that we can eat them. They sometimes come in a more roundish shape like this and go orange when ripe.
What I
I am not sure if they are edible to humans but the birds seem to love them too and this is usually one indication that we can eat them. They sometimes come in a more roundish shape like this and go orange when ripe.
What I
Cheetah
They are the only member of the cat family whose claws are not retractable after the age of three months. This has led to the misconception that cheetah belong to the dog family.
Cheetah do not stalk their prey as do lion and leopard, instead, they rely on their exceptional speed, which is 80kmph (48 mph) on average, but some people maintain can be as high as 112kmph (67mph).
Their name is
Cheetah do not stalk their prey as do lion and leopard, instead, they rely on their exceptional speed, which is 80kmph (48 mph) on average, but some people maintain can be as high as 112kmph (67mph).
Their name is
Golden Piper (Eurytela dryope angulata)
Family Nymphalidae Biblidinae
Medium wingspan of 4.5 – 5.5cm.
Seen the year round.
Found in broad strip from the north eastern regions to Port St. Johns.
Info: Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa (Steve Woodhall)
Giant Kingfisher
Found throughout SA in rivers, streams and dams.
The largest of the kingfisher family and identified by the black and white colouring with red breast.
Eats crabs, fish and frogs.
Make tunnels in earth banks for nesting.
Average 5 eggs per clutch.
Info: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa
Stick Insect - Heteronemiidae Sp
As far as Stick insects go, this one is of medium size being about 10cm in body length but as there seems to be no-one in South Africa who has any knowledge of them, I cannot find a name for it.
Spotted Buff (Pentila tropicalis)
Family Lycaenidae Poritiinae
Small butterflies of about 2-3cm in wingspan.
Found in a very restricted area on the east coast from Swaziland to just south of Durban.
Info: Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa (Steve Woodhall)
Grass Mantis (Pyrgomantis rhodesica)
Family Mantidae
This species of mantis, as the name implies, is found on grass stems where it waits motionless for prey.
It is large, about 7cm in length.
Grizzled Pintail Dragonfly
This beautiful dragonfly (Acisoma panorpoides) was flying around outside my office.
They are one of the smaller species and found throughout Africa.
They are one of the smaller species and found throughout Africa.
Banded-legged Orb Web Spider (Nephila senegalensis)
Family Nephilidae
These spider webs can contain up to 27m of silk.I have never seen this many spider webs in KNP before and counted up to 55 spiders on one which was about average for the rest. Most belonged to the Banded-legged Orb Web Spider (Nephila senegalensis).
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)